ALBERTSON, N.Y., Oct. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Viscardi
Center announced today that it has joined with Henry Schein, Inc.
(Nasdaq: HSIC), to create Project Accessible Oral Health
(PAOH), an international public-private partnership that will
raise awareness of, and address the significant need for, increased
oral health care for people with disabilities, thus improving their
overall health and quality of life.
People with disabilities face a number of barriers to accessing
quality oral health care, from the difficulty in paying for
treatment, to obtaining dental coverage, to the physical challenges
of accessing a practitioner's office or being seated in a dental
chair. For oral health care practitioners, lack of alignment within
the reimbursement system creates an added challenge to serving this
population, which requires ongoing professional development and
training to address the unique needs of children and adults with
diverse disabilities.
To kick off its proactive work to address these and other
obstacles to improved care and healthier outcomes, PAOH will host
an inaugural two-day meeting October
26-27, convening many of the world's foremost experts from
the fields of dentistry and disabilities-focused health care, as
well as dental educators, advocates, and members of the
disabilities community, public health and policy experts, and
representatives from the dental industry. Together, these
stakeholders will explore ways to improve access to oral health
care for people with disabilities while advancing oral health
literacy among the broader community.
Dr. Steve Perlman, founder of
Special Olympics Special Smiles, will serve as the keynote speaker
for the first day of the event, which will be held at The Viscardi
Center in Albertson, N.Y. The day
will feature panel discussions on accessibility and disability in
health care, public policy trends at the intersection of oral
health and disabilities, and the personal accounts of health care
providers and members of the disabilities community.
"An examination of the delivery systems and payment mechanisms
for health care services provided to individuals with disabilities
has been at an all-time high this past year," said John D. Kemp, President and CEO of The Viscardi
Center. "Now is the time to bring oral health into the
conversation, as it plays a significant role in overall health.
Project Accessible Oral Health is an opportunity to explore
challenges, collaboratively create solutions, and build a roadmap
to a healthier future for individuals, while examining
cost-effective coverage and reimbursement strategies."
The second day of the event, being held at the NYU College of
Dentistry in Manhattan, will
feature panel discussions on the global scope of the issue and the
potential impact of successful collaborations. Rabbi Kalman Samuels, founder of the Jerusalem-based Shalva Children's Center, will
serve as the day's keynote speaker. Shalva, a non-denominational
organization that provides programming and care for children and
adults with disabilities, will serve as the host for PAOH's 2018
meeting in Israel.
"Dental schools play a crucial role in preparing the next
generation of dental professionals, and that should include how to
treat patients whose disabilities may present unique challenges,"
said Dr. Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD,
Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education, NYU College of
Dentistry, and co-organizer of the meeting.
PAOH is supported by the Alliance for Oral Health Across
Borders, Bedford Healthcare Solutions, the Claire Friedlander
Family Foundation, Colgate, the Dental Trade Alliance
Foundation, the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, the
Henry Schein Cares Foundation, the New
York State Dental Association Foundation, the Pacific Dental
Services Foundation, and the Special Care Dentistry
Association.
"We at Henry Schein have long understood that oral health and
overall health are deeply connected, and Project Accessible Oral
Health is a momentous step toward a public health framework that
offers people with disabilities greater access to quality oral
health care and a better quality of life," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. "We are pleased to stand
with The Viscardi Center, NYU College of Dentistry, Shalva
Children's Center, and all of our partners and supporters in this
shared mission to help health happen for the disabilities
community."
"We at the NYU College of Dentistry are pleased to co-host this
inaugural meeting," said Charles N.
Bertolami, DDS, DMedSc, Herman
Robert Fox Dean of the NYU College of Dentistry. "We look
forward to advancing this conversation and working towards
solutions for the benefit of the disabilities community."
For more information about PAOH, including a series of blogs and
a schedule of the meeting's featured speakers and presentations,
please visit www.projectaoh.org.
About The Viscardi Center
Founded by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who served as disability
advisor to eight U.S. Presidents and became one of the world's
leading advocates, The Viscardi Center educates, employs and
empowers people with disabilities. It provides Kindergarten through
High School education (up to age 21), school-to-work youth
transition services, vocational training, career counseling and
employment placement, assistive technology, and adapted driver
education to children, adolescents and adults with a wide variety
of disabilities. The Center also assists businesses in diversifying
their workforces, as well as developing and advancing disability
inclusive cultures in their workplaces. For more information, visit
ViscardiCenter.org.
About NYU College of Dentistry
Founded in 1865,
New York University College of
Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) is the third oldest and the largest
dental school in the US, educating more than 8 percent of our
nation's dentists. NYU Dentistry has a significant global reach
with a highly diverse student body.
The College's mission is to partner with students in achieving
academic excellence, providing the best oral health care, and
engaging in research, scholarship, and creative endeavors to
improve the health of the highly diverse populations in
New York City and around the
world. For more information, visit dental.nyu.edu.
About Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is the world's largest provider
of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal
health and medical practitioners. The company also serves
dental laboratories, government and institutional healthcare
clinics, and other alternate care sites. A Fortune 500®
Company and a member of the S&P 500® and the Nasdaq 100®
indexes, Henry Schein employs more than 21,000 Team Schein Members
and serves more than 1 million customers.
The company offers a comprehensive selection of products and
services, including value-added solutions for operating efficient
practices and delivering high-quality care. Henry Schein operates
through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a
selection of more than 120,000 branded products and Henry Schein
private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 180,000
additional products available as special-order items. The company
also offers its customers exclusive, innovative technology
solutions, including practice management software and e-commerce
solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services.
Headquartered in Melville,
N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 32
countries. The company's sales reached a record $11.6 billion in 2016, and have grown at a
compound annual rate of approximately 15 percent since Henry Schein
became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit
Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein and
@HenrySchein on Twitter.
About Shalva Children's Center
Shalva, the Israel
Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities
is dedicated to providing transformative care for individuals with
disabilities, empowering their families and promoting social
inclusion. Non-denominational and free of charge, Shalva's programs
provide an all-encompassing range of services for hundreds of
individuals from infancy to adulthood. Additionally, Shalva
supports and enables families to raise their children with
disabilities within the family framework. Through nearly three
decades of award-winning programs, Shalva partners with government,
academic and philanthropic institutions in advocacy efforts to
create a more inclusive society.
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SOURCE The Viscardi Center